


Titanic Endangerment

by heichoupunishment



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, M/M, Rating: M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-23
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-04-05 20:02:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4193085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heichoupunishment/pseuds/heichoupunishment
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Captain Levi is in charge of the beautiful ship, Reconnaissance, along with his crew, Petra, Oluo, Eld, and Gunther. Together, they've embarked on a journey to capture the beautiful prince of Sina, who is the only individual who knows where the Ultimate Treasure resides. Just one problem-they've got the wrong guy. Rated M for future chapters. Pirate!Lexi x Decoy!Eren</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first fic posted to this site, so I apologize if I've not gotten the hang of the format of it, haha. This fanfic is also posted to fanfiction.net, so if you prefer that platform more, it's readily available and I shall update simultaneously to both websites. However, in the future, I may make the choice to string my short chapters together on here. We'll see. Anyways, here's Titanic Endangerment! Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> -e xx

"Captain Levi! If we don't hurry up and find another route, we'll run straight into the storm for sure!"

"Aye, Petra. I don't understand what's taking Eld this damned long," Levi growled in frustration. It'd been five weeks since he and his crew set sail for Sina Island, known best for its vast riches waiting to be plundered. So far, the group had faced numerous guardian ships, sharks looking for snacks, and now a giant storm. Levi was at his wits end. He was close to doing something as ridiculous as hoping for a miracle.

"Uh..Cap'n Levi, it may be a little late for that," the newest recruit Gunther stated. Levi cursed under his breath, and quickly formulated a plan. He wondered where the hell Eld was, as he was supposed to be the quartermaster, but most of the responsibility usually fell to Levi, on account of the entire crew agreeing that they trusted Levi. Levi knew it was probably just so they could slack off a bit and let him do most of the decision-making, but as long as the ship stayed spotless, he wouldn't complain. Much.

Thinking it over in his head, Levi decided the best course of action would be to try and move around the storm. They'd most likely lose progress on making it to Sina, but it was better than risking the lives of his crew and their supplies. "Alright, batten down the hatches," he commanded.

He gave orders for Petra to stay up in the crow's nest to see what was going on, Oluo to stay on quarterdeck, and Gunther to positon himself by the cannons as a precaution. Levi watched as they all obeyed his orders in one swift, fluid motion, just how he liked it. He was quite annoyed at Eld for not being on deck, but the second-in-command was notorious for disappearing. However, he always came back with something that benefitted Crew Levi, as they had taken to calling themselves.

The short captain made his way to the wheel and turned away from the grey clouds who seemed so intent on making the sky dark and gloomy. However, luck was not on his side, and the gray devils seemed to be catching up at a very fast pace.

"Captain, windy skies up ahead!" Petra yelled, tearing her eyes away from the terrifying looking sky. Levi nodded in hurried acknowledgement and concentrated on getting their ship to safety. They couldn't afford to take damage to the ship with being so far out to sea. He just hoped the Reconnaissance could handle a little wind. She was a beautiful ship, made with the finest wood and equipped with the most efficient high-grade cannons. She adorned a flag of intersecting wings with an emerald green background, and Crew Levi was mighty proud of her. Every hit she took was very personal to the group, especially Levi. He made a sharp left to avoid a rocky patch of sea he wouldn't have noticed if it wasn't for Gunther pointing it out. By now, the rain had started to sprinkle on the members, but they were too persistent to let it storm on them. With a lot of effort, Oluo manning the sails, Petra watching the sky, and Gunther watching the sea, Levi safely got the bunch to calm shores.

"Oluo, hoist the sails," Levi sighed and watched as Petra climbed down the rigging, a smile on her face. "Good job steering, Cap'!" she said with a grin, causing Levi to only scowl at her and prepare to give her a lecture on addressing him properly when Eld interrupted him by emerging from the inside of the ship. Levi's scowl deepened and he was about to question where the hell Eld had been when Eld answered the question before he could ask, knowing his Captain.

"I've deciphered the map like you asked. It's complete, I know where the treasure is."

Levi raised his eyebrows at that. "Is it still in Sina like we thought?" He would hate for this entire trip to be a waste, especially with ho damn difficult is was proving to be with one hardship after another coming their way.

"Aye, but it'll be rather hard to get, and we'd likely be in Davy's grip just by goin' after it."

"Yo ho ho! There ain't no way it can be too hard for us, Eld-y! 'Specially not with ol' Levi here!" Petra said with a big grin on her face, which soon disappeared with one look at Levi. The rest of the crew nodded in agreement despite Levi's murderous glare. Eld gave them a half-smile at the confidence they all had in their captain. "Aye, it's true that our Captain is the best in all the seas, but this ain't a 'blow the man down' type'a mission. We gotta capture the person of interest, and it ain't gonna be easy."

"It can't be that hard, Eld," drawled Oluo, trying hard to imitate Levi's perfect diction and speech, which only served to annoy Petra, "Who is this person, anyway?"

"Well, only one person knows where it lies, and it's apparently the treasure of all treasures, said to make any man who possesses it the richest man in the world, and surely gain a bunch of pirates all the fame, wealth and glory they could imagine," Eld stated, amused by the way the crew's eyes lit up. Levi snorted at that, but he was up for any sort of adventure, especially if it interested his crew. Plus, if what Eld was saying wasn't just a bunch of barnacle bullshit, it would greatly aid them, all in individual ways. Petra could afford medicine for her dying mother back home. Gunther could afford a sword that wasn't rusting. Eld could afford to go back home to his wife. Oluo could afford bandages for his tongue he always kept biting. Nodding, he decided to take the challenge. With the final approval from Levi, Eld decided to disclose the vital information he had been holding back.

"Well…we need to capture the prince of Sina," Eld stated, pausing for effect and taking in the crew's eyes go wide and Levi's brow raising.

"His name is...

Jean Kirstein."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go!

A week later, Eld had formulated a plan to capture the mysterious prince Jean Kirstein. The crew understood the dangers that faced them, and knew that if all didn't go according to plan, all five of them faced a fate worse than walking a plank. They all worked harder and more diligently than usual, due to all of them unable to hide the adrenaline that coursed through their veins when they thought about the upcoming mission. It was unlike anything they had ever pursued before, and the ship's atmosphere was thriving with anticipation. Even Levi donned a smirk wide enough it could almost be mistaken for a smile. The possibility of failing was never forgotten, but the crew had immense faith in their captain. They all were so fond of him, thinking him as the glue that held their makeshift family of misfits together. That's what Levi did, he took in people who needed not just money, but a purpose. It was strange how he knew so much about each one of them individually, sipping his tea while they sat around sharing their life stories, but Levi's life was one giant mystery, his lips pursed tighter than a lockbox. They all didn't mind, though, for they trusted Levi too much to believe he was a shady character. He had done too much for them, and they all knew the big reason why Levi agreed to take on such a dangerous task was to help out all of them with their individual struggles. The Reconnaissance was without a doubt the finest pirate ship in all of Trost, but without Captain Levi, the ship only had beauty and nothing else.

The plan was to arrive on the island and scope out the territory in disguise, so as not to draw attention to themselves. After all, it would most likely raise suspicion and problems if Captain Levi and the Survey Corps were spotted out and about. Levi thought it a ridiculous name for a group of pirates, but Oluo and Petra insisted, claiming it was a play on their ship's name. After a while, Levi just let it be.

"Captain Levi, Captain Levi!" Petra yelled from the crow's nest, causing said captain to look up at the ginger-haired girl. She was pointing at something up ahead, and Levi squinted, combatting the sun to try and see what she wanted him to view. It was only until a cloud too gray for comfort blocked the sun that he saw it.

In his line of vision was the most beautiful land he had ever laid eyes on. It was adorned with beautiful palm trees and white sand that stretched for miles and miles. In the shade, Levi could see merchants selling their goods to passerby and citizens making idle conversation. In the distance, a white marble palace resided, sparking in the sunlight. Houses made of stone with intricate carvings decorated the land. The entire island seemed rich with prosperity, making it known without a doubt that this was, indeed, the legendary Sina Island. It was unlike anything Levi had ever seen, and he became uneasy. Despite the breathtaking state of the island, something about it felt off. The crew didn't seem to notice, too busy gaping at the majestic land placed before them.

"That castle holds our target, yes? We should not get caught up in exploring the island," piped up Oluo, who was met by Petra's annoyed eyes.

"Oluo, shuddup and stop imitating Captain! It's annoying!" Petra exclaimed, causing Oluo to mutter something about feeding her to to the fish until he cried out from biting his tongue.

"In order to maintain secrecy, we will need to do a bit of exploring. No sense going into enemy territory without scoping our surroundings. Aye, Levi?"

Levi half-nodded in response to Eld's statement, unable to take his eyes off the vast land. "Prepare for docking," was all he said. Once the Reconnaissance was safely docked, conveniently out of sight, Captain Levi and his crew gathered together on the main deck to go over the plan.

"Good timing," Levi praised, motioning up to the sky, which had just spilled the first few raindrops of an oncoming storm. Levi rather liked the rain, but it proved to be an inconvenience by being paired with dangerous elements that made it rather difficult to do important things like sail a ship. He was grateful for it now, however, because the five wouldn't look out of place wearing capes to hide their identities. They'd just look like normal citizens trying to protect themselves from the rain. Luckily for them, the matching green capes with the Reconnaissance's flag symbol on the back wasn't known among the common masses, so they wouldn't attract too much attention. It would, however, look quite strange for five people to wear the same cape and symbol, so Eld had come up with the idea of staying on the roofs of the buildings, which none of the crew minded. Staying above ground was their speciality.

He passed out the capes and replaced his feathered hat with the hood of the cape, already having shedded his worn brown leather coat to eliminate bulkiness and enable him to move more quickly. Levi adjusted his swords attached to his belt, and felt around to make sure his two concealed guns and hidden backup daggers were still in place, just in case, but his unusual-shaped swords usually did the job just fine. He buttoned the cape over his white cravat and gray button-down, and looked around to see if everyone had outfitted themselves properly. They all carried twin swords similar to Levi's, and brown leather boots that came to their knees. Levi was the only one who had boots that laced up and came just below his knee to provide for more fluid movements with the style of fighting he preferred. He donned puffy black pants that ruched at the knee that met with the boots, creating an elegant harmony to his entire look. Despite what Levi did for a living, he always managed to look impeccably well-dressed and presentable. Each crew member had their own signature outfits that somehow all complimented Levi's. Oluo wore a similar cravat to Levi, a dark blue button-down, loose purple and black pinstriped pants under his singular boot, on account that he wore a peg leg on his right, due to an unfortunate accident with the notorious Military Police that guarded the country of Trost in his younger years. Petra's outfit consisted of a loose white blouse with puffy sleeves, tight red and black striped pants, and a red bandana tied around her short ginger hair. Gunther's signature was a tan regular long-sleeved shirt, red puffy pants, and an eyepatch on his left eye. Finally, Eld dressed in a brown leather vest with an off-white shirt, and white loose pants, always carrying a book full of information that had saved the crew's asses countless times.

Once Levi did a once-over of his entire crew, he nodded and went over the plan, straight-faced and ready for business. "Avast! Petra, Oluo, Gunther, you are to stay apart and out of sight on ground. I know the original plan was to stay rooftop, but we need all the information we can get. Eld and I will be the eyes from above. At sundown, you will report here, on the main deck, to share information. Do not approach each other in plain sight, the last thing we need is have the Military Police on our tails. Don't get caught, now scram."

"Aye aye, Captain Levi!" they saluted, and made their way off the ship and out of sight. Levi watched as Petra went right, Gunther went straight, and Oluo made his way left.

"Ready Levi?" inquired Eld, earning an affirmative nod from his captain. The pair stepped off the boat, and made their way towards a chapel whose back was facing them, making it easier for the men to climb above the building with alerting anyone. After all, climbing on buildings wasn't really regular everyday behavior. When they made it to the top, Levi took in his surroundings. He spotted one of his crew, a green speck in the vast crowd. He could only see one. Good, they were following orders. He saw Military Police at their stations, their flamboyant uniforms incredibly hard to miss. Luckily for Eld and Levi, no guards were stationed above ground.

Or so he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for my chapters being so short, but I honestly do prefer it that way, and I feel as if it adds more effect if the chapter cuts off where it does. Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -e xx


	3. Chapter 3

Erwin Smith's thick eyebrows furrowed from his hiding spot as he viewed the two cloaked figures scan the mass landscape before them. He knew what those symbols on their backs meant, and judging by the two figures staying out of sight, he could only guess that one was none other than the notorious pirate Captain Levi. Erwin had never had the misfortune of seeing the man in the flesh, so he was at a disadvantage in his plan. No doubt the "Survey Corps", so disgustingly named and obviously mocking the order, stability, and necessity of an armed military to protect the people. The damn crew and their Captain didn't care any for the people, choosing to ransack their pockets in search for what wasn't rightfully theirs. Erwin had always been an honest, hardworking man, who loved his home with all his heart and soul. It disgusted him to be aware of the filth that roamed the country, his country of Trost, and he'd capture that damn Captain Levi if it was the last thing he did. He swore to protect the Prince and current King after the old King (Jean's grandfather) had passed away so long ago, and he was determined to fulfill his duty.

The blonde quickly unsheathed his long, pointed sword and continued his trail behind the two individuals. He would need to capture them both, since he was very unsure which one was Captain Levi and even if he had an inkling, their faces and clothing were completely hidden by the cloaks, and the shadows seemed to bend to their will, bathing them in mystery. There weren't many places to hide on the rooftops, but Erwin managed to sneak behind barrels and other items carelessly left by the soldiers who were usually stationed above. They had been confused when Erwin ordered the troops to keep watch at the ground stations, but once Erwin had caught a glimpse of the ship with the flag symbol only a handful of people knew, he knew he needed to find out what the hell Captain Levi was up to. There were stories about the Levi man, that he was a big, muscular fellow, with coarse dark hair and a beard to match, who always wore an eyepatch and skinned people alive and then threw them in the sea, and Erwin couldn't deny his small sliver of fear. He felt a hint of curiosity, however, and wanted to see who the man really was. The two figures didn't look all that intimidating, but one definitely was bigger than the other. It was hard to tell with the green cloak covering so much, but he had a hunch that the bigger one was Captain Levi. The other individual was rather short, and Erwin could make out defined hips from the folds of the cape, leading him to the assumption that the Captain had a female member of his crew along with him. Practically no one knew the Survey Corps's flag, their names (except for their Captain's, of course), or their genders, but Erwin had been ordered to do extensive research on the group of pirates in case something like this ever did arise, and he was now very thankful for Prince Jean's orders. It had been difficult, finding information, because the group was practically untraceable, but Erwin had determination and an iron will.

Attuning his focus to the larger target, he decided it was time to take action. Glancing down at the large silver sword in his right hand, he prepared his feet to charge and attack. He was unsure what to expect, as the man was supposedly skilled beyond measure. He hoped the girl wouldn't be too difficult. She looked small enough, but Erwin knew better than to judge off of what he could barely see through a garment. His legs were just about to make the run when he felt cold metal pressed against his side.

Shit.

The female figure had a strange-looking sword digging into Erwin's side, clearly unhappy with his spying. Erwin stood there, on guard and in disbelief at being caught. This wasn't supposed to happen, especially not to him. There was no way he'd die today, he couldn't let his Prince down, or the people down. They were counting on him for safety. He needed an opportunity to make his escape, otherwise he wouldn't last long. The blade pressed into Erwin's side even more, and he could feel the steel break skin and cause crimson blood to pour down his side. The larger figure made his way over, similar strange twin blades sparkling in the sunlight, and Erwin's heart began to thud in his chest. He was eerily calm, analyzing the situation for escape routes, and seeing none.

"What's this, Cap'n?" the larger figure drawled, surprising Erwin. So the great and mighty Captain Levi was the feminine figure with a sword in Erwin's ribcage? He was..shorter..than Erwin expected.

"A little piglet wandering too far from the pen," Levi said, tone dripping with boredom and mockery. The short man leaned down, coming face to face with Erwin. The blonde could see a clean-shaven face framed by black strands peeking out from the cloak. Gray eyes that resembled the sky after a storm looked straight into his own. Something about the man oozed danger, and it angered Erwin, though he was carefully not to let him show it. Now, this was his chance. His sword moved to pierce Levi in the stomach, but it ended up jabbing the air instead. Levi had expertly dodged the attack, and had taken his blade out of Erwin's side, leaving him bleeding out profusely. The blonde soldier knew he wouldn't last long against Levi's skill and another man there, so he made a run for it. If he died there, he wouldn't be able to notify Prince Jean of the recent events. He glanced back for a moment to see the larger figure get ready to run after Erwin, only for Captain Levi to put his hand out and stop him. Erwin didn't have time to wonder why the hell Levi would do such a thing, and made a beeline for the castle, hand clutching his bleeding left side and his right hand sheathing his weapon. When he reached the ground, he didn't miss the worried stares of the Sinnian people and his comrades, asking him with their eyes, Are you alright?

He ignored them, walking at a calm, brisk pace now, knowing that he would pass out in the span of fifteen minutes. He was almost there when he overheard a conversation that stopped him dead in his tracks. There, in the shadows, were three of the figures cloaked in green, having a conversation. You could barely make them out, and even if you could, you would only be able to see the outline, but Erwin knew the three were the rest of the Survey Corps.

"We need to make it back to Captain Levi."

"Yeah, I'm sure Eld has a better idea of the land now, so it'll make it easier to capture Prince Jeen or Jane or whoever!"

Erwin's heart stopped cold, and he ran all the way back to the palace. The gates opened for the injured man, and people gathered around him, trying to see if their best soldier was alright. The doctor came out, assistant carrying medical equipment in tow, but Erwin shook his head.

"I need to speak with Prince Jean, the matter is urgent, I need to speak with him right no-"

Everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erwin is so loyal to his prince. :') No, they will not get together, Erwin doesn't feel that way about Jean and never will, haha. Eren is coming soon, yay! Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -e xx


	4. Chapter 4

When Erwin awoke, he found himself in his bedchamber, gifted to him by Prince Jean himself. The room wasn't anything lavish, but most of the guards resided in the barracks, and being given an individual room was a high honor for a soldier. The Military Police sought to protect Prince Jean with their lives, but they also acted as patrol officers for the people, and for the other branches of Sina's vast military. Erwin was more of Jean's personal bodyguard, after proving himself countless times. The blonde soldier possessed a deep sense of nativism, and it was for that reason Jean trusted him above most. A small cough tugged him out of his thought process, and blue eyes made their way towards the other person in the room.

The young servant boy, Marco, was watching him with worry etched into his normally cheerful face.

"U-uh, uhm, Commander Erwin, Prince Jean has requested you to come to his throneroom when you wake up," the freckle-faced boy stammered. Erwin nodded and let Marco help him to his feet. He was wobbly at first, but soon gained his bearings. A glance at his side told him that the doctor and one of his good friends, Hange, had patched him up. She always did a wonderful job with her patients, so that eased Erwin's worry about the wound somehow re-opening. Marco insisted on walking Erwin to the throne room, claiming that the prince would be annoyed if Marco didn't make sure he got there okay, but Erwin knew it was probably because Marco wanted to gaze upon Sina Island's prince, notorious for his beauty.

The pair walked down the majestic hall lit with chandeliers and decorated with intricate designs carved from white marble and silver until they reached a violet door with a shiny brass handle. Marco turned to open it, and the both stepped into the elaborate room. The carpet, ever-so-gently laid out on the shiny gold floor (to accompany the gold walls and ceiling) stretched in a thin line from the door to a beautiful deep, crimson throne framed by purple velvet curtains. On it, sat a young man dressed in crisp white pants to compliment his crisp white jacket stitched with elaborate gold detail. Shiny black boots made their way up the prince's slender legs, and stopped at his lower thigh. Around his shoulders laid a long white cape held in place by a golden chain. The interior of the cape was made out of purple silk, complimenting the prince's complexion and the gold crown set with various gemstones resting on the prince's head of two-tone colored hair complimented his honey eyes. Marco seemed entranced by the man's beauty, unable to take his eyes away, which somewhat amused Erwin. The older man patted the servant on the back and made his way to the carpet-covered steps of the throne.

Jean saw the two at that moment, and the corners of his lips turned upwards into an inviting grin. The commander resented the damned pirate captain for making Erwin be the one to wipe that smile of his prince's face. Jean snapped his fingers in a come here motion at Marco. The boy obeyed, happy to serve his future King. Jean's father was out currently fighting the ongoing war between Trost and Titania, a land full of evil and cruelty, leaving Jean to take care of the kingdom.

"Marco," Jean's voice echoed through the room, "Kindly fetch me some tea."

Marco nodded and made his way out of the room, passing the guards at the door and the servants already in the room, who were confused as to why Jean didn't just get one of them to do it. Erwin cleared his throat and began, hating to be the bearer of such bad news.

"My Prince," the soldier began, "I have something to report."

Jean's thin eyebrow raised at that, smile now vanished. He studied his prize soldier, wondering what had him in such a state of urgency. He held a gloved hand up, motioning for Erwin to cease his speech. Whatever it was, Jean was going to need to need something to cleanse his palette before hearing it. He was already worried enough, with his father being gone and having to manage an entire kingdom by himself. It was an honor and his birthright to be King, and being royalty came naturally to him, but he had to admit, it was often lonely and stressful. Living the life of luxury came with a price that not even he could afford. Life would be easier if the three kingdoms of the country of Trost would just get along, but Titania was a terrible, horrible place and Sina would never surrender to it, despite how small Sina was compared to Titania, and Maria swore to remain neutral, afraid of facing Titania. If only Maria and Sina united, they could eliminate Titania's leaders once and for all, but King Grisha wouldn't hear of it. He was much too worried about putting his family in danger-again, after an assassin from Titania kidnapped his four-year-old son seventeen years ago.

Marco came in, holding a steaming cup of Earl Grey on a saucer. He made his way up the throne steps, past Erwin and handed the prince the beverage. Erwin's eyes didn't miss the way the two young boys' eyes glanced up at each other when their hands touched. Jean stared into beautiful brown eyes until a beautiful voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Is there anything you need, My Prince?"

"I'd rather like a scone or a biscuit, Marco...Thank you."

Marco nodded and made his way out of the room and to the kitchens once more. If Erwin wasn't so focused on the whole Captain Levi and the Survey Corps ordeal, he might've taken the time to feel sorry for Marco, who obviously had a blossoming crush on the Prince. It looked to be mutual, judging by Jean's particularly nice treatment of Marco, but royalty could only court royalty. As the rightful heir, Jean could claim Marco as one of his bedmates, but Jean chose to have none. The young prince could be rash and arrogant at times, but he did have a good heart and didn't feel it right to claim others as property, especially as sex slaves. After Jean's first sip of tea and a satisfied sigh, his golden eyes turned his attention back to Erwin.

"Now, now, Smith, what was it you wanted to discuss?" Erwin didn't miss the way the edge of exhaustion in his Prince's voice and even more regret began to brew in the soldier's stomach.

"I've witnessed Captain Levi himself along with his Survey Corps on Sina streets, Your Highness. The legends are true, he does exist, though he's...different than expected. He's very highly dangerous, and I overheard his crew discussing plans of well...your kidnapping."

Eyes went wide at this, and a loud clash could be heard. Heads turned towards the doorway, where an assortment of blueberry scones (Jean's favorite) and broken china was scattered across the floor. Marco stood with wide shocked eyes, unable to move. The other servants immediately began to clean up the mess, knowing that Jean wouldn't want Marco to stress. Jean's eyes avoided the freckled boy and remained focused on Erwin, scowling.

"Sasha," Jean called the servant girl, "Please, fetch my advisor Armin at once."

After a couple hours, a lanky blonde man came in through the door, aware of the recent news that had been announced. In his left hand, he carried a scroll that had a mapped out course of action to thwart the Captain's plans. Erwin had left with Sasha, knowing that his range of information would prove useful to Armin in his planning. Armin had scrambled to put together scheme in such a short amount of time- which is why he was the Prince's advisor. The young man was absolutely brilliant and could work under pressure. The blondes rushed through the hallway to the throne room, eager to inform the prince of the plan.

* * *

"Stop right there, thief!"

Shit, not again.

The young criminal tore his way through the crowd of innocents, trying to put as much distance between the Military Police guards chasing after him as possible. He knew he'd be caught, he always got caught, but the thrill was too tempting for him to avoid. It was a petty crime he'd committed, stealing some apples, but he had been caught enough times for enough crimes that he knew he was in deep this time. However, he was never one to deny himself the simple pleasure of acting-on-impulse, so his feet took him as far as they could travel. After a while, the adrenaline died down and he began to pant, forcing himself to come to a halt. A tired-looking soldier came up behind him and placed the steel cuffs securely around the thief's wrists.

"Hello, Thomas," acknowledged the man, "How's your wife?"

"She's doing well, she just birthed our second child," Thomas Wagner sighed, double-checking the cuffs to make sure they were secure. "Honestly, Eren, you're a good man. I wish you didn't get yourself into these scrapes. You could always do something with your life, like join the Military Police. Most of the guys already know you, and Commander Erwin has a complex for helping people."

Eren snorted. "Thanks, chap, but I ain't gonna take no pity," he remarked. "Besides..I gotta find.."

"Your family, I know," Thomas said softly, "But..I'm not sure you'll be able to get off so easily this time."

Eren looked at the soldier with determined eyes. "I'll find 'em, Thomas, if it's the last thing I do."

"Eren...you can't just go off a fuzzy memory you have from when you were four," Thomas reasoned. He wished Eren would listen to reason, for once.

Eren scowled, refusing to discuss the subject any further. "I think it's about time fa' you to take me to prison, Thomas. Wouldn't wanna keep the prince-y prince waitin'."

With another heavy sigh, Thomas loaded Eren into the criminal wagon and they made their way to the palace.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, we have an advantage since they don't know what Jean looks like."

"It's faulty at best, Armin."

"I'm aware, but we needed a course of action in a short amount of time."

"It's just crazy enough to work."

"Yes, but I still have a couple ques-"

"Uh, Prince Jean, sir?" Three sets of eyes turned to the figure standing in the throne room doorway. He was holding a young man by the arms. The brunette was obviously a prisoner by the shackled wrists, a very familiar one at that. Erwin recognized the soldier as Thomas Wagner, one of the new Military Police recruits. He struggled to recall the prisoner's name until a voice spoke up.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't your old friend Eren Yeager, Armin?" Jean's voice rang through the room. "What was it this time, stealing food from children? Picking locks and looting homes? Fill in the blanks for me, Eren."

Teal eyes scowled in the Prince's direction. "Listen, Fancypants. Not al' a' us people live in a fancy castle, and get food handed to us on a silver platter like you. Some of us gotta steal to survive. Just cause you the Prince don't mean Imma kiss your ass, got it? We've been in this situation too many times we should be on a first name basis. Now, Jean, give me my sentence and let's get on with our lives. I got shit to do, and so do you."

Armin and Thomas's mouths fell open at Eren's boldness. They weren't too surprised, Eren was notorious for being a blunt hothead, but they figured in the situation he was in, even he'd be groveling. No one quite understood Eren Yeager. Armin had gotten close with him after catching him trying to pick his pocket years ago, and Eren had been arrested so many times to know half Sina's Military Police population. He was good-looking, charismatic, and determined, yet he never stayed out of trouble. Even Jean had grown to like the boy, though he never intended to make that fact known. He was fond of Eren's impartial treatment towards Jean being the prince. Everyone else just sucked up to him, and if he was being honest with himself, it grew quite annoying. He never had to guess what Eren was thinking, Eren always made it very clear and clairvoyant. Jean and Armin had extended helping hands to Eren, but his pride always got in the way. It had to be Eren's idea to receive help.

Jean's brows furrowed. He was fond of Eren, but the man had to learn a lesson. Court would take too long, and Jean usually just dealt Eren's punishments personally due to the fact that he knew that Armin would charm the court into letting Eren off scot-free, promising to give Eren a good tongue-lashing. Erwin's face was etched into a scowl, clearly angry at the treatment of Prince Jean.

"Hm...let's see...Eren, this is your ninth time being brought to me in shackles. Clearly, you haven't learned your lesson on how to be an active, hard-working member of society," Jean analyzed.

"Bullshit, Jean! People are starvin' outside these palace walls! Sina ain't as rich as it used to be, because of this fucking war and those fucking Titans!" Eren exclaimed, hatred for the people of Titania slipping through. "This war ain't shitty only for you, Jean. There's kids out on the streets starvin'." Eren would never admit he had stolen the apples for a group of orphans he knew didn't have any other source of food.

"Eren, you could join the Military Police and you'd have food every day," Jean scowled.

"DAMMIT, JEAN, THIS AIN'T ABOUT JUST ME. WHEN'S THE LAST FUCKIN' TIME THE DAMN MILITARY POLICE EVER GAVE TO THE CITIZENS? WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU'VE STEPPED OUTSIDE THE FUCKIN' CASTLE AND TOOK EVEN SO MUCH AS A PEEK AT YOUR KINGDOM?" Eren screamed, rage and passion filling his voice. With a swift motion, Armin briskly made his way across the room and gave Eren a firm smack on the face.

"You aren't helping your case, Eren. You're the one in chains here," Armin said quietly. His big blue eyes faced Jean. "We can use him, Your Highness."

"Armin, what the hell?! Use me for what?" Eren stammered, clearly caught off-guard.

"It would work, Your Highness. The young one certainly does have it planted in his head he can rule better than you, regardless. This could give him a dose of reality and discipline," Erwin mused, "And if anything goes wrong, Armin just proved himself capable of handling him."

"Yes...I could use this to survey what's actually occurring in my father's kingdom, if what Eren says is true," Jean nodded.

"What the hell is happening?!" Eren growled.

"Alright, I've made a decision," the prince said.

"Eren Yeager, you are to act as my replacement until I have decided you have fulfilled your duties. Failure to comply means that you will spend fifteen years in prison, one year for each crime, and an added two for evading arrest. You will spend the night in a jail cell, and Commander Erwin Smith with fetch you in the morning to discuss my plans and reasoning."

Eren looked at each man, bewildered. Thomas seemed at loss for words, Erwin seemed cautious, Armin seemed accepting, and Jean seemed firm and confident in his selection.

"...You crazy fucks."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love Eren. :') He's so sweet and so misunderstood, ya know? Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -e xx


	5. Chapter 5

The course of the next week was jam-packed with lessons for Eren to pass as Prince Jean. Eren still didn't quite understand the whole thing, and no one would disclose the reason why Eren needed to pretend to be Prince Jean, (they acted and looked nothing alike), but Eren wasn't complaining. The beds had feather pillows and he always had more than enough food to eat, which he tried to sneak to the orphans until Erwin stopped him and told him that princes don't leave their castles unaccompanied. Eren was too stubborn to allow himself to be escorted, so he sent Marco to feed them every morning, which the young servant was happy to do. The two had grown rather close, as Armin was usually discussing top secret plans with the real Prince Jean, and when they did get a chance to spend time together, Armin always seemed jumpy and nervous. Well, moreso than usual.

While the food was good, and it was a rather comfortable lifestyle, Eren found it rather boring. He would get scolded like a small child for small things, like his speech patterns or using the wrong fork. The ordeals usually ended up with Eren smarting off to the person that corrected him, however, the others couldn't miss how each time Eren made sure to fix his mistake. Despite the brunette's famous temper, the servants quickly grew fond of him. It wasn't before long that Eren had the pillows fluffed up the way that wouldn't make his neck hurt and Sasha made sure to serve meals Eren favored.

Currently, Eren was standing in the throne room, reciting his "royal dialect", which he was expected to say when a citizen approached his court. The phrases came out as naturally as breathing for Jean, but for Eren, it sounded and felt awkward. However, when he finally received a curt nod from Erwin from getting all the lines right, he felt accomplished. Jean made his way over the hothead and placed the crown upon Eren's head. He didn't miss the way Eren's nose wrinkled in disgust.

"Eren Yeager, you are ready. You will act as my replacement for the duration of my trip. Henceforth, your name is now Jean Arnaud Kirstein III to everyone outside the palace. If you venture outside the palace, you are to make sure everyone is aware of your status. Commander Erwin Smith will be accompanying myself on my journey to secure the kingdom's safety and security. There is a colossal chance that you will deal with dangers during your rule. Armin will be joining me as well, but I will give you both time to say your farewells. The three of us depart at dawn tomorrow," the legitimate prince confirmed. Eren gave a small nod, and made his way back to his chambers.

Prince Eren, huh? Who woulda thought? Well, Prince Jean Arnaud Kirstein the Third, Eren snorted. What the hell kinda sissy name is that?

* * *

 

Knock knock knock.

"You may enter."

"Uh...evenin', Prince Jean. I just...I came to change out the water in your basin."

"Oh, thank you, Marco, but that will not be necessary, Sasha did it earlier."

"Oh...okay, sorry, Your Highness. My apologies for intruding. I'll just go and retire for the night."

"Marco…?"

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"Call me Jean, Marco."

"...Okay. Goodnight...Jean."

"Goodnight Marco."

"Night."

"Night."

And with that, the freckle-faced boy made his way back to the servant rooms and fell asleep with a warm smile illuminating his face.

* * *

The morning came. Eren awoke to the sound of his door opening, and instantly he knew it was Armin. The smaller man's eyes were darting around nervously. Eren's lazy smile disappeared when he noticed the other's fidgeting.

"Armin..?"

"Eren, there's something I need to tell you!" Armin blurted out, eyes wide.

"...Yes?"

"There's a group in town, a dangerous group, they have a plot, Jean needs to go, he can't be captured in case something happens to his father, it was my idea, I'm so sorry, Eren, I don't want anything to happen to you, and the more I think, the more I regret it, but it was the only way, the only way, anyone else would abuse the power and you're a kindhearted person who would never do that and-" Armin ranted, not pausing for breath.

"Armin...what are you saying..?" Eren asked, eyes narrowing.

"I'm saying-" Armin was interrupted by the sound of the door opening.

"Sorry to intrude, but Armin, Erwin says it's time to go," Marco explained with a solemn look on his face. Armin responded with a defeated "Alright," and the two made their way down to the carriage. Armin saw Eren's look of betrayal from the third story window of the castle, and hoped nothing lethal would happen to his friend. He hoped that Eren would keep his mouth shut in captivity. Oh, who was he kidding, Eren would never keep his mouth shut in captivity. He didn't know what this damn Captain Levi was after, but if he let Erwin escape, Armin could only hope that he would let Eren go. Hope, hope, hope. All Armin had was hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Levi and Eren will meet soon , hehehe! Also, this chapter is still very much Riren, but I can't resist Jean and Marco, they're just sooo cute. Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -e xx


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren speaks normally, except for the fact he didn't get a quality edumacation, so that's why his words are kind of strung together. 
> 
> -e xx

“Cap’n, today’s the day!” Petra exclaimed, making the day they were to capture the prince sound more like a celebration. It would be, in a way. He’d be one step closer to obtaining the treasure his crew so needed. He needed.

No, no thinking of that, Levi. Not right now. The captain studied the rest of his crew, who wore excited expressions on their faces. He hoped they realized the immense danger they were all in. The castle was no doubt surrounded by guards. However, Eld had figured out the perfect time for the crew to sneak in. Well, Levi, specifically. Gunther and Petra had secured the position of the Prince’s room and, luckily for them, it harbored a window. Tomorrow, he would have to rip the prince out of his cushy castle. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

Damn, I’m getting soft. What a sorry excuse for a pirate, Levi thought.

That night, everyone slept peacefully in their beds, all except one grumpy raven-haired captain.

* * *

Eren woke with the sun. He wiped the sleep from his face and got out of the large bed adorned with silk sheets. Bare feet padded over to the large looking glass that rested on the wall, and the brunette studied himself in the mirror. Teal eyes and messy hair stared back at him.

“Eren..my sweet little Eren...Mommy loves you, Eren. She and Daddy will love you forever.”

Eren blinked himself out of his daydream. No, Eren. Memory. It’s a memory. It has to be.

He glanced back at the mirror and saw his hand clutching the necklace he had possessed as long as he could remember, knuckles turning white, contrasting against the tan tone of his sun-kissed skin. With a sigh and a hand through his hair, he released his death grip on the key and instead slid the chain over his head to turn it over in his hands.

“What are you for? Where are they? Dammit, I can’t find much with this damn useless thing!” Eren shouted, throwing the key across the room, his anger getting the best of him as it so often did. With a small gasp, he made his way over to the other side, scooping up the precious object and placing it back around his neck. He sighed and began to dress for the day. At first, Marco and another servant boy Connie tried to help him dress, but they stopped trying after Eren admitted to Marco once that it was rather uncomfortable for him. Not that Eren was against people who favored the same gender, he did himself. Homosexuality was a common practice in Sina, something that Titania was completely against. It was another reason for the ongoing war. No, Eren felt uncomfortable because he just..felt like if he was capable enough to dress himself, why did he need someone else to do it?

The thief, now retired, finished putting on his standard “royal” clothes and rolled his eyes when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. Eren wore the same outfit Jean always adorned, instead the cape’s interior was a nice beautiful emerald green. With a sigh, he placed the crown on his head and shoved the gloves in his pocket, silently refusing to wear them. As a finishing touch, he tucked the key into his white jacket and set out for the dining room. It was always the same. Get dressed, eat, sign some documents (though he wasn’t permitted to make massive decisions, he was allowed and expected to sign basic agreements and deeds), eat, take a bath, roam the castle, try to get five minutes of alone time, eat, bathe, retire. Today would be no exception. Sighing and frowning now came as naturally to him as breathing. It had only been four days since Jean, Erwin, and Armin had departed, and Eren found himself replaying Armin’s confessional words in his head over and over.

“...Dangerous group..”

“...Jean has to go, he can’t be captured…”

“..It was the only way..”

“I’m so sorry.”

Eren didn’t understand. He didn’t really believe that sweet, innocent Armin would sign him up to be the key element in a death plot, but then again, anyone who knew Armin knew he wasn’t sweet and innocent. Still, he was Eren’s best friend. Surely he was just trying to scare Eren. Right?

“Eren...Did you hear me..?” Marco’s voice brought him out of his thought train. Poor Marco. He looked awful. Dark bags made their home under Marco’s bloodshot eyes and constant worry clung to Marco like a wolf to its prey.

“Aw, Marco, I’m a’sorry. What did ya say?”

Despite his obvious sadness, Marco managed a half-smile and repeated his question. “You’re gonna have to talk formally when other people are around, Eren. But are you alright?”

Eren gave a small grin at that. “Ya sound like Armin,” Eren explained, “worrying about everyone else when he’s the one that’s troubled the most. I’m fine. I’ll be fine. Ya should take the day off, Marco, I know you’re under lots’a stress.”

Marco’s eyes widened at that. He didn’t want Eren to think he couldn’t work, and honestly, working was the only thing that provided him distractions from the fact that the prince--Jean--was gone. He was upset, but he wasn’t incapable or handicapped. He needed to get his mind of Jean’s departure. It was tearing at his insides. He should have said something before Jean went. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Eren was most of the time very dense, but thankfully, he caught on. “Actually, Marco, I think the garden needs weedin’ and waterin’. I was down there the other day and noticed the flowers lookin’ all sad. Do you think ya could handle that for me?”

They both knew that the gardens were always in immaculate condition, but Marco was quick to comply, happy to get to work. He grabbed his supplies and made his way to the garden, sending Eren a grateful glance in his direction. The tanned male ran his hands through his hair and made his way to the kitchens. There, he found Sasha and Connie hurriedly making breakfast.

“Ahhhh, sorry we’re late, Eren! We didn’t mean to sleep in! We were just super tired!” Sasha said, frantically bumping into Connie as he tried to help her in vain. The servants were required to make the prince’s breakfast before making anyone else’s. Eren let out a chuckle and grabbed an apple from a bowl. “It’s alright, you guys. I ain’t that hungry anyways. Make sure everyone else has food, though,” Eren smiled. He left again before Connie could ask if he was sure and before Sasha could insist. He ending up roaming the hallways, munching on the apple in his left hand. He waved at whatever servants were around, giving them a big smile. He was fond of them all, especially when they weren’t making him do something or treating him like they would Jean. He did that until suppertime, opting out of lunch because his mind wouldn’t stop thinking back to Armin’s words. Everytime he thought about the boy’s confession, it made his stomach queasy. At supper, Eren ate with the servants as opposed to eating by himself. He was told that Jean often ate with Armin and went over plans, but due to the lack of the blonde male, Eren was left alone for dinnertime. After a while, a tiny servant named Krista invited him to have dinner with the rest of them. Soon, he knew all the servants in the house on a much more personal level. He knew Ymir had a huge crush on Krista, he found out that if he wanted Sasha to leave him alone he could bribe her with food, and that Marco would squeak every time someone brought up Prince Jean.

Covered in mashed potatoes from the food fight that had been prompted by Connie and Sasha, Eren slipped out the room. A wide smile etched itself onto his face when he remembered Marco ducking under the table, Ymir grabbing Krista, and Sasha trying to catch the food Connie threw in her mouth and failing miserably. He was overwhelmed with a strange feeling of belonging for the first time since he’d been staying at the castle. He got changed into his silk pajamas and headed for bed, falling into a blissfully dreamless sleep.

* * *

Levi scaled the side of the castle, making his way up to the window. Oluo and Gunther had taken out the guards at the entrance, and Eld was hiding in the shadows to keep watch. Petra was on the ground watching Levi to make sure to alert him and provide what backup she could in case they were spotted. Despite her small frame, Petra was a very capable skilled fighter, and Levi trusted her immensely.

His gloved hands finally reached the windowsill, and he used the ledge to push his body upwards. With a powerful kick, the glass from the window shattered. Taking a deep breath, Captain Levi stepped inside the dark room. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could see the lavish bed resting in the center of the room, where a dark-haired figure rested. The captain was surprised that the commotion of the broken window didn’t wake him, but he kept his guard up regardless. He made his way over to the large piece of furniture and grabbed the rope that resided over his arm. He began to tie the prince’s feet up, only for the left leg to shoot out. So he was awake. The prince’s figure quickly untangled himself from the sheets and threw punches in Levi’s direction. He was fast, but Levi was faster.

“Wow, for a prince, his fighting skills sure are shit,” Levi observed. His moves were clumsy and reckless. With one solid swift motion, Levi lifted his leg and kicked the boy across the face, bringing him to his knees. After three more hefty kicks, the prince was unconscious with blood running down his face from his nose. Levi looked at his handiwork. He’d have to patch up the broken nose. What a bother.

Tying the prince’s hands and feet to restrain him, Levi slung him over his shoulder and made his way down. It was rather uncomfortable, but Levi made it to the ground. Petra’s eyes looked at him, awaiting instruction.

“To the ship. Now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> -e xx


	7. Chapter 7

Teal eyes opened with a start.

“Have a nice nap, did you?” A low voice spoke out from the shadows.

Eren frantically looked around at his unfamiliar surroundings, taking in from the amount of barrels everywhere and the rocking feeling that he must be on a ship of some sort. His first instinct was to stand up, but the feeling of tight rope on his hands and legs hindered him. He attempted to stand up anyways, and consequently flopped back towards the ground like an injured whale on a shore. Levi tsk’d at the sight, more annoyed that the damned Prince could have damaged his beautiful ship than anything. It didn’t really matter that the brat was trying to get up, he wouldn’t succeed, especially when the pain of his broken nose caught up to him. Say, shouldn’t that happen soon? Three...two...on-

As if all at once, Eren felt an unbearable amount of pain on his face, screaming in agony and wishing he could clutch his own face and tear his own nose off. He became hyper aware of the dried blood on his face and longed to itch it. He curled into the fetal position as best as he could and sobbed and snotted all over the Reconnaissance’s polished wood storage unit, which caused the Captain to groan and make his way over to the pathetic prince. Without a word, Levi delivered a heavy swift kick to the brat’s head and watched him go unconscious. He needed to set his damned nose so it’d heal properly, so Levi swung one leg around the boy’s torso and felt his muscle flex as he snapped the swollen body part back into place. The prince’s eyes opened once again, but before Eren could let out a scream, Levi kicked him in the head once again.

This was going to be more work than Levi thought.

He examined the Prince’s face and body, making mental notes here and there. Levi had gotten glimpses of the brat since kidnapping the boy, but hadn’t had a full opportunity to sate his curiosity and see what the legendary Prince of Sina actually looked like. He was tan, tanner than expected for a prince who supposedly sat in his throne room all day. However, the captain couldn’t really say much, considering he was ghostly pale after spending almost every day on the sea in sweltering temperatures and the blazing sun. Small, almost microscopic freckles adorned the boy’s nose and surrounded the skin turning rapidly black and blue. Levi couldn’t really tell what the prince looked like, with his face in such sorry shape and eyes closed. Long tanned fingers sprawled across the ship’s floor and met slender arms that traveled down to a slim torso. Levi figured that the prince would be almost chubby, considering the amounts of lavish food he probably consumed. Maybe Levi was jumping to conclusions and assuming various things, it wasn’t like he’d ever been a prince before, and he hadn’t even been inside a castle since-

No, don’t think about it.

With a heavy sigh, the captain straightened his shoulders and briskly strode away to give the rest of the crew their morning orders.

* * *

Eren slowly opened his eyes and cursed the colossal headache he felt pounding into the very depths of his brain. He remembered being violently kicked in the head multiple times, and scanned his surroundings to ensure that his poor noggin wouldn’t be subjected to torture once again. He felt something on his face and brought his hand up to it. He was surprised that his hands were untied and that a single piece of damp cloth was placed on his bruises. Eren heard footsteps coming down what sounded like stairs and braced himself to fight, or at least try in his weakened state.

“Hullo, Prince Jane! Wait, that wasn’t right,” a ginger-haired girl exclaimed, “My name is...Should we tell him our names? Oluo? Oh, crap, I gave one away. Oh well. My name’s Petra, and you’ve officially been captured by infamous Captain Levi and his crew. Nice to meet cha’,” she winked only to get a blank look from a not yet fully-awake Eren. Oluo rolled his eyes and hit her shoulder to get her to stop blabbering on. She obviously didn’t know how to do a proper kidnapping, with intimidation and fear, just like Captain Levi would. The crew rarely got prisoners on the ship, due to the fact that Captain Levi said it made the ship dirty and he’d have to scrub it again, but the rest of the crew had a hunch it had something to do with a bad instance from his past. Despite the nasty rumors that swirled around the land regarding the infamous captain, Levi never allowed raids or attacks on innocent people. Oluo knew that this mission had left a bad taste in Levi’s mouth, but he’d never admit he only knew that from Petra and not from Levi confiding in him himself.

Oluo’s eyes narrowed at the no doubtedly spoiled prince and watched as bright defiant teal eyes met his. “We were told to get Captain when the brat wakes up, let us go,” Oluo turned away and walked up to the stairs that led out of the hold. Petra groaned at Oluo intimidating Captain Levi’s perfect diction, but followed Oluo up the stairs in fear of getting scolded by the Captain, who could be quite terrifying when dealing with pent up annoyance from his orders not being followed.

By now, Eren’s conscious was fully regained, and he was just downright pissed off. He decided to make his way towards the stairs, and used his untied hands, which he now figured out had become untied by a sharp steel piece from a barrel cutting the rope, to try and work the large knot around his feet. After several minutes of trying with nothing to show for it, Eren growled in pure frustration. This had been just a fucking peach of a day. Mentally, Eren swore the second he saw Armin again, if he ever saw Armin again, he’d murder him.

“I wouldn’t try that if I were you,” a deep voice stated. Eren recognized it as the voice he heard earlier, before his head got so rudely bashed in. Great.

“What’re you gon’ do, hit me in the fuckin’ head again?” Eren blurted before he could stop himself and realize that he had to be in character. It was a little hard to be given the alarming circumstances, but Eren reprimanded himself all the same. He only hoped this person wouldn’t find out he was a fake, because while he wasn’t really on board with the whole being kidnapped thing, and Eren would never admit it, he did like the Prince and felt it was better for a useless thief rather to get kidnapped and possibly not send the entire country into even more distress. Eren could never make the kind of difference Jean could. Eren didn’t have that sort of power. He could only hope on this hiatus Jean was taking, he’d use it to improve. And if Eren had to be sacrificed for that, for those kids on the streets to be fed, then so be it. But he wouldn’t go down without a fight.

“I’m not above it, if need be,” Levi stated. The tanned prince was again shielded from Levi’s view, and his feet took him to the figure on the floor.

“How long was I out?” The tenor voice asked.

“Since you’ve been here or since my foot collided with your face?” Levi so eloquently asked.

“The foot face thing.”

“Five days.” Levi stepped forward.

“Oh.”

“Is that all?” Step.

“How long before you kill me? I’d like to know how much time I have left.”

“Who said anything about killing you, brat?” Halt.

“Excuse me for thinking someone who takes me out of the cas-my home in the middle of the goddamn night is plotting on killing me!”

“No, I won’t kill you. I simply need to borrow you.” Smirk. Step.

“You could’ve asked.”

“Oh, sure, let me just stroll into a palace and ask a prince for help towards something he isn’t going to give willingly.” Eye roll.

“So you’re going to steal from me?”

“Possibly.” Step step.

“Great, can I go then?”

“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” Step step step.  
By now, Levi was one step away from the famous Prince Jean. He always hated being around royalty. It reminded him too much of...them. No, stop. Levi was about to take the last step when shining eyes like the ocean met steel blue gray ones. Both men stared back at the other, the same thought racing through their minds.

“Oh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the basically year-long hiatus, I've just been extremely busy and had a horrible patch of writer's block along with life getting in the way. But I'm back and have a plan and lots of new ideas for the direction of this fic. Thank you for being so patient with me, and thank you to the user Keltrix for getting my bum in gear to update this story! As always, thanks so much for reading! 
> 
> -e xX

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I am open to constructive criticism and would love your feedback, it helps me improve as a writer! 
> 
> -e xx


End file.
